Where is the Path of Exile 2 respec option?

Path of Exile 2 respec
(Image credit: Grinding Gear Games)

The Path of Exile 2 respec merchant is the Hooded One, a special NPC that's actually teased in POE2's intro cinematic and appears at Clearfell. Once you've uncovered him, you can use the Hooded One to respec all your passive skills - but not for free, as there's a gold price attached to it.

With that in mind, we'll lay out how to unlock the ability to respec your passive skills in Path of Exile 2 below, as well as what the costs of doing so are - nothing's free, after all.

How do you respec passive skills in Path of Exile 2?

Path of Exile 2 respec

(Image credit: Grinding Gear Games)

To respec in Path of Exile 2, you need to progress the main plot until the point where the Hooded One appears at the Clearfell Encampment hub area. The Hooded One allows you to respec your Passives at any point, though there is a cost involved for doing so. Every skill point you respec will cost you gold, a cost dependent on how deep the skill is in the skill tree, so this is a system you don't want to use too liberally, or else risk becoming a rather poor adventurer.

Keep in mind that you cannot respec your Path of Exile 2 Ascendency points - in fact, at time of writing, there is no way to do that at all. Once they're spent, those choices are locked in for that character.

To unlock the Hooded One and the respec system, you need to progress the main plot until you reach the Mysterious Shade quest and beat the Lachlann of Endless Lament boss fight. This should happen for most players somewhere between level 10 and level 15, roughly 4-5 hours into the game after you conclude the tutorial and beat the  Path of Exile 2 Bloated Miller, depending on your behaviour and skill level. 

Want more help in POE2? Find out our tier list of all the best Path of Exile 2 classes here, or if you missed it until now, find out how to beat the Path of Exile 2 Devourer boss fight and squash the big bug for good.

© GamesRadar+. Not to be reproduced without permission

Joel Franey
Guides Writer

Joel Franey is a writer, journalist, podcaster and raconteur with a Masters from Sussex University, none of which has actually equipped him for anything in real life. As a result he chooses to spend most of his time playing video games, reading old books and ingesting chemically-risky levels of caffeine. He is a firm believer that the vast majority of games would be improved by adding a grappling hook, and if they already have one, they should probably add another just to be safe. You can find old work of his at USgamer, Gfinity, Eurogamer and more besides.

Read more
A screenshot from the Path of Exile 2 opening cinematic trailer, showing a woman shouting.
Path of Exile 2 is dropping loot more generously, but Early Access players are still being bankrupt by the action RPG’s high respec costs: "Why am I being punished for trying out things?"
Path of Exile 2 screenshot from the opening cinematic trailer, showing someone stood surrounded by flames.
All Path of Exile 2 Ascendencies and how to get all Ascendency Points
Path of Exile 2
Path of Exile 2's new update lowers the cost of respeccing, adds far more fast travel points, and turns skitter golems into walking bombs
A female android in Cyberpunk 2077 with her mouth, jaw, and nose removed as she alters her appearance.
How to respec in Cyberpunk 2077
Path of Exile 2 screenshot from the opening cinematic trailer, showing someone stood surrounded by flames.
Path of Exile 2's latest patch is "build-destroying," and action RPG fans are now stuck with heavy nerfs thanks to astronomical respec costs
Path of Exile 2 ancient vows
How to find and complete Ancient Vows in Path of Exile 2
Latest in Action Rpg
Monster Hunter Wilds
Capcom promises "this is just the start for the next generation of Monster Hunter" as Wilds shatters sales milestones: "The Guild authorizes this celebration!"
Monster Hunter Wilds screenshot of spider boss Nerscylla
Monster Hunter Wilds takes an infamously rare and annoying material from the old games and absolutely buries you in it – and also buries you in tiny spiders
Monster Hunter Wilds
Playing Monster Hunter Wilds in multiplayer is a confusing mess, but in defiance of Capcom I've jury-rigged a co-op campaign that actually works
Monster Hunter Wilds Ember Rufflizard
Monster Hunter Wilds Ember Rufflizard location
A Monster Hunter Wilds character holding binoculars.
Capcom asks Monster Hunter Wilds players how they feel about the game in a survey longer than most hunts, and I guess y'all had feedback because it crashed due to "heavy traffic"
Monster Hunter Wilds Whoppers
How to catch a Monster Hunter Wilds Whopper
Latest in Guides
Monster Hunter Wilds Ember Rufflizard
Monster Hunter Wilds Ember Rufflizard location
A cart being driven to the extraction point in horror game REPO.
How to revive players in REPO
Fortnite Dill Bit Display Cases
Fortnite Dill Bit Display Cases: Where to search them
Monster Hunter Wilds Whoppers
How to catch a Monster Hunter Wilds Whopper
Three players in a REPO game.
How many people can play REPO?
Monster Hunter Wilds Sandstar
Monster Hunter Wilds Sandstar location